CONCUPISCENCES Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

concupiscence

noun

kän-ˈkyü-pə-sən(t)s

Definition of concupiscence

as in desire

sexual appetite the Puritans did not condemn concupiscence but rather the satisfaction of it in ways they deemed illicit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lustfulness

intense sexual desire according to the church theologian St. Augustine, concupiscence is a consequence of original sin

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

frigidity

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of concupiscence Through the eyes of a scammer, America is a nation of satyrs and harlots, our concupiscence interrupted only by occasional trips to Walmart or the gas station. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026 Gregory of Nyssa, contemplating the Christian horror of concupiscence, once theorized that had not Adam and Eve sinned, the two of them would have remained virgins and reproduced in whatever way angels did. — David Harsanyi, National Review, 8 June 2023

Recent Examples of Synonyms for concupiscence

Noun

Having a comfy and accommodating chair can reduce the desire to get up give you more time to get more work done.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
Trump’s desire, which is to coat the granite facade with white paint, has been met with significant pushback from historians who say that covering the historic building’s granite exterior with paint could trap moisture and damage the stone.

— News Desk, Artforum, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of desire

Noun

Known for her dry sense of humor, passion for horses and being the hardest working royal, Princess Anne has also maintained strict boundaries about her privacy and kept her family away from the spotlight.

— Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
There was a fluidity to their performance that treasured passion over technical precision.

— Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of passion

Browse Nearby Words

concubines

concupiscence

concupiscent

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Concupiscence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/concupiscence. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of concupiscence

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

rigmarole

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes